Former Utes QB Alex Smith Considered Signing With Jaguars, Urban Meyer Before Retiring
Apr 20, 2021, 5:15 PM | Updated: 5:32 pm
Injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith talks with former college coach Urban Meyer in the owners box during the Philadelphia Eagles defeat of the Washington Football Team 37-27 at FedEx Field in Landover, MD on December 15, 2019 . (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Former Utah Utes quarterback Alex Smith considered reuniting with his college head coach Urban Meyer and signing with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars before ultimately deciding to retire from football.
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Following his retirement announcement, Smith discussed the possibility of signing with Jacksonville on ESPN’s Outside The Lines.
Smith visited with Jaguars after he was released by the Washington Football Team in March.
“I left there so excited about what Coach Meyer has going, and what he’s building, and his vision, and the culture he’s gonna bring,” Smith said. “I wanted to do my due diligence, even though I was leaning towards retirement.”
Alex Smith details how he considered signing with the Jaguars before ultimately deciding to hang it up after 16 years in the NFL pic.twitter.com/t2v2w4AdSd
— Outside The Lines (@OTLonESPN) April 19, 2021
Meyer, who became the Jaguars’ head coach in January, coached Smith at the University of Utah from 2003-04.
Official 🖋@CSICompanies | @CoachUrbanMeyer pic.twitter.com/O5bEO5hM6i
— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) January 15, 2021
The duo helped the Utes to an undefeated season and win in the Fiesta Bowl in 2004.
After his departure from Ohio State, Meyer joined Smith in a box at FedEx Field to watch one of Washington’s games in 2019.
“I wanted him here,” Meyer recently said. “You know, we talked to him about joining here. He’s had a tough injury. Of all the players I’ve ever coached, and I would tell people this when people didn’t know how tough he was, he’s one of the toughest cats I’ve ever been around.”
Alex Smith in 2020
Last season, Smith posted a 5-1 record as the starting quarterback for Washington.
He helped Washington win the NFC East and reach the postseason.
Smith finished the season throwing for 1,582 yards, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
It's still surreal to see what Alex Smith is doing after all he went through. Is there a more remarkable career comeback story in sports history? https://t.co/SuvxLXxo7w
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) November 27, 2020
After the season, he was honored as the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year for his return from a life-threatening injury suffered in 2018.
Alex Smith’s NFL Career
Smith was drafted out of Utah by the 49ers with the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
During his career, Smith has played for the Niners, Chiefs, and Washington.
Standing ovation for Alex Smith from his family.
(via @WashingtonNFL) pic.twitter.com/WL4WQYApqU
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 11, 2020
Through 174 career games, Smith completed 62.6 percent of his throws for 35,650 yards, 199 touchdowns, and 109 interceptions.
“I was ready. I am ready,” Smith said of his decision to call it a career in the NFL.
